Toy adapted to strike a ball positioned therein



y 1960 H. ALMQ'SLINO 2,935,322 7 TOY ADAPTED T0 STRIKE A BALL POSITIONBDTHEREIN Filed Feb. 25, 1953 Array/vans TOY ADAPTED TO STRIKE A BALLPOSITIONED TEREIN Hans Almoslino, Hollis, N.Y.

Application February 25, 1958, Serial No. 717,515 10 Claims. (Cl.273-96) This invention relates to a novel toy and more particularly to atoy which is adapted to strike and propel a ball positioned therein.

There is a need for a toy which will strike and propel a ball positionedtherein by a simple movement of the hands which can be readilyaccomplished by children of all ages. At present there are a number oftoys which are designed to propel a ball by batting it or which haverather complex mechanisms and require somewhat complex movements on thepart of the user to strike a ball positioned therein. After muchexperimentation I quite unexpectedly developed a rather simplecombination of elements which provides a toy which is adapted to strikea ball positioned therein and yet is very simple from the mechanical andoperating standpoints.

It is a primary object of my invention to provide a ball striking toywhich is simple to construct and readily operated by users from all agegroups.

nited States Patent pocket or net 8 is preferably formed from arelatively non-resilient and stiif material so that it will maintainsubstantially any configuration that it attains whether supported inthat position or not. An example of a material that is suitable for useis ordinary light gauge cloth impregnated with a resinous or plasticmaterial such as a plastic table cloth. It is also preferred that thispocket or net 8 have an aperture 9 formed in the base thereof adapted toprovide a nesting place for the ball 0 10, such as an ordinary Ping-pongball, when it is in It is another object of this invention to providesuch I a toy which will not only propel the ball in practically anydesired direction but is also adapted to catch the ball if the userwishes.

It is another object to provide such a toy which can be inexpensivelymanufactured from known materials.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be recognizedwhile reading the following description in conjunction with the attacheddrawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of this toy with a ball in position to bestruck;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the toy and ball just afterthe latter has been struck;

Fig. 3 is a partial perspective View of another embodiment of this toy;and

Fig. 4 is a partial perspective view of the toy showing an alternativemethod of connecting the paddle to the. handles.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the handles 1 which are grasped by the userwhen holding or actively using this toy are pivotally connected atopposing ends of a crossbar or spacer member 2. These handles 1 areconnected intermediate their ends so that the inner ends or relativelyshorter portions of these handles 3 extend to one side of the crossbar 2and the relatively longer portions 4 extend to the opposing side of thecrossbar and are adapted to be grasped as shown. A frame 5 is attachedto the crossbar 2 and extends over the inner ends 3 of the handles 1.Preferably this frame 5 is formed of metallic wire in a substantiallycircular configuration as shown with the ends thereof turned downwardlyand extending through the crossbar 2 to provide the pins'6, 7 forpivotally attaching the handles 1 thereto.

It will be appreciated that the crossbar 2 and frame 5 may be formed ofa single piece with the handles 1 being pivotally attached at spacedpositions to this composite thus in effect eliminating the crossbar as aseparate member.

"A shallow pocket or net 8 is suspended within the frame 5 with itsperiphery attached to the frame. This the position to be struck.

The paddle or striker means 11 is positioned with its unattached or freeend 12 beneath this aperture 9 and its attached or base end 13positioned between the inner ends 3 of the handles 1. The paddle 11 isattached to the handles 1 in this position in a free swinging manner bymeans of at least 2 strings or cords 14 which extend through the base 13of the paddle 11 and are attached at their opposing ends to the handles.These strings 14 pass through the paddle 11 at points disposed laterallyalong the base thereof and are attached to the handles 1 in such amanner that the points of attachment to the handles of the stringnearest the crossbar 2 are at least as low and are preferably lower thanthe points of attachment to the handles of the next adjacent string.With attachment the free end 12 of the paddle 11, due to its weight,hangs at an angle beneath the pocket before the ball 10 is struck. Theweight of the free end 12 of the paddle 11 thus tends to cause this endto swing down away from the aperture 9 which causes the slack strings 14to move out of parallel, which causes the inner ends 3 of the handles 1to move toward each other as the strings pull them and which causes theouter ends 4 of the handles to move away from each other. When the userwishes to strike the ball 19 and propel it out of the toy he moves theouter ends 4 of the handles toward one another thus moving the innerends 3 apart. This causes the strings 14 to tighten and tend to parallelone another. As this happens the free end 12 of the paddle 11 is movedupwardly beneath the pocket 8 and strikes the ball 10 nesting in theaperture 9. Thus by this simple movement of the users hands toward eachother the simple mechanism of this invention is activated to strike theball and propel it out of the toy.

Although the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is illustrated asrequiring two hands, one on each handle 1, to press the handles towardone another and release them to operate this toy it will be appreciatedthat the relatively longer portions of the handles may be curved towardone another at their outer ends so that both handles may be grasped inone hand and the toy can thus be operated by a one-handed squeeze andrelease. It is also possible to shape the longer portions of the handlesin such a manner that they curve toward one another adjacent thecrossbar and then spread apart so that the user has the option ofgrasping them in one hand where they converge or using two hands placedat the outer ends.

Fig. 3 shows a portion of another embodiment of this toy wherein one ofthe handles 1 is integrally attached to the crossbar or spacing member 2and is likewise relatively rigidly interconnected to the frame 5. Theother portions of this toy are the same as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2and described above. With this embodiment the user holds the toy withthe stationary or non-pivoted handle 1 and simply pushes or hits theother handle toward this stationary handle to strike the ball with thepaddle. This embodiment may be preferred by some users as it may givethe user a sense of greater stability when holding the integrallyattached handle and also it suggests to the user the possibility ofhaving one hand free except while actually strikingthe ball whilerunning or performing g mma other activities with the toy although itwill be recog nized that the embodiment having both handles pivotallyconnected can be used in this same manner; j

Fig. 4 shows another means for connecting the paddle 11- to the innerends 3 of the handles 1. Here instead of using at least two strings thepaddle is attached by means of pins 15 extending from opposing sides of'the paddle through apertures in the handles 1 having diameters somewhatlarger thansaid pins and at least one string 14 extending through thepaddle displaced along the longitudinal axis of the paddle andattachedrto the handles. Washers 16 are attached to the ends of the pins15 extending to the outside of the handles 1 to prevent the paddlebecoming disengaged from the handles. With this means of attachment thepaddle is in effect pivotally connected to the handles and when thestring 14 is tightened and. tends to parallel the pins the free end ofthe paddle is brought up against the pocket. It is also apparent thatthe paddle may berpivotally or hingedly attached to the crossbar orspacer member .2 to function in the same way with at least one stringextending from the paddle and attached to the handles.

It is important that the pocket 8 be shallow and preferably be formed ofa relatively stiff and non-resilient material. \Vith this constructionand theaperture for the ball to nest in it is possible for the user toswing the toy and strike the ball out of the toy with a dual swingingand striking motion to thus add the propulsion of the toy in much themanner of a lacrosse stick to the propulsive force of the striker. Withthis nesting arrangement it is also possible for the user to run withand jog the toy without having the ball fall out of this pocket.Further, using these materials and this configuration the shallow pocketwill retain its convex position as struck, as shown in Fig. 2, after thepaddle has dropped away from its striking or supporting position and thetoycan then be used to catch the ball with this pocket acting as adeadening member while it is returning to ball nesting position due tothe force of the ball landing therein. If the pocket is made of morespringy material there 'is a much greater chance that the ball willbounce back out of the pocket during such a catching operation.

"It will be noted that this toy substantially retains the appearance ofa racquet which can however be used to hit and catch a ball. Thisretention of a racquet-like appearance in all positions of the pocket isdesirable and is due to the fact that this pocket is shallow and yet isadapted to catch a ball due to the deadening action of this pocketwithout need for sides on the frame or a deep pocketed net.

' Having thus described my invention I claim 1. A toy adapted to strikea ball positioned therein comprising a crossbar, a pair of handlespivotally attached intermediate the ends thereof adjacent opposing endsof said crossbar, a substantially circular frame attached to saidcrossbar and extending above the inner ends of said handles, anetpositioned within and attached to said frame, said net having an areaslightly larger than the interior of said frame whereby a shallow pocketis formed by said net, said net having an aperture therethrough at thebase of saidpocket, a paddle disposed '3. A toy adapted to strike a'ballpositioned therein comprising a crossbar, a pair of handles pivotallyattached to opposing ends of said crossbar with a relatively shorterportion of said handles extending inwardly from said crossbar, a frameattached to said crossbargextending away from the relatively longerportions of said handles, a shallow pocket of woven material within saidframe, said pocket having an aperture at the base thereof, a paddle, oneend of said paddle extending between the relatively shorter portions ofsaid handles and the opposing end extending beneath the aperture in saidpocket, and at least two strings extending transversely through saidpaddle and attached at opposing ends to said handles, said strings beingso attached to said handles that the unattached end of the paddle ismoved upwardly against the bottom of the pocket when the relativelyshorter portions of the handles are moved apart to tighten the strings.

4. The toy of claim 3 wherein the pocket material is relativelynon-resilient so that it will maintain substantially the configurationit attains when struck by the paddle after the paddle falls away fromit.

5. A toy adapted to strike a ball positioned therein comprising a pairof handles, a spacer rnember'positioned between said handlesintermediate the ends thereof, said handles being pivotally connected toopposing ends of said spacer, member, a frame attached to said spacermember, a shallow pocket formed of relatively nonresilient materialdisposed within said frame, said pocketrhaving an aperture in the basethereof, a paddle,

posed between the inner ends of said handles, rods 'ex-t belowsaidaperture, the base of said paddle being positioned between the innerends of said handles and at least two strings extending between theinner ends of said handles and through the base of said paddledisposedtending out from opposing sides of said paddle through said handles topivotally attach the paddle between said handles and at least one stringextending through said paddle and attached to said handles whereby thefree end of the paddle will move upwardly against the pocket when thisstring is tightened by moving the inner endsof the handles apart.

6. The toy of claim 5 wherein the pocket material is relativelynon-resilient so that it will maintain substan tially theconfigurationrit attains when struck by the paddle after the paddlefalls away from it.

7. A toy adapted to strike a ball positioned therein comprising acrossbar, a pair of handles, one of said handles pivotally attachedintermediate the ends thereof adjacent one end of said crossbar and theother handle integrally attached intermediate the ends thereof to theopposing end of saidcrossbar, a substantially circular frame attached tosaid crossbar and extending above the inner ends of said handles, a netpositioned within and attached torsaid frame, said net having an areaslightly larger than the interior of said frame whereby a shallowpocketis formed by said net, said net having anaperture therethrough atthe base of said pocket, a paddle disposed below said aperture, the baseof said paddle being positioned between the inner ends of said handlesand at least two strings extending between the inner ends of saidhandlesand through the base of said paddle disposed from one anotheralong the longitudinal axis thereof, said string nearest the crossbarbeing at least as low as the next adjacent string whereby the free endof said paddle will be moved upwardly and strike the net adjacent theaperture therein when the inner ends of the handles are moved apart totighten the 8. A toy adapted to strike a ball positioned thereincomprising a crossbar, a pair of handles, one of said handles pivotallyattached and the other handle integrally attached to opposing endsof-said crossbar with a' relativelyshorter portion of said handlesextending inwardly from said crossbar, a frame attached to said crossbarextending away from the relatively longer portions of said'handles, ;.ashallow pocket of woven material said frame, said pocket having anaperture at the base thereof, a paddle, one end of said paddle extendingbetween the relatively shorter portions of said handles and the opposingend extending beneath the aperture in said pocket, and at least twostrings extending transversely through said paddle and attached atopposing ends to said handles, said strings being so attached to saidhandles that the unattached end of the paddle is moved upwardly againstthe bottom of the pocket when the relatively shorter portions of thehandles are moved apart to tighten the strings.

9. A toy adapted to strike a ball positioned therein comprising a pairof handles, a spacer member positioned between said handles intermediatethe ends thereof, said handles being pivotally connected to opposingends of said spacer member, a frame attached to said spacer 15 member, ashallow pocket formed of relatively nonresilient material disposedwithin said frame, said pocket having an aperture in the base thereof, apaddle, the free end of said paddle being disposed beneath said apertureand the opposing end of said paddle pivotally attached between the innerends of said handles, and at least one string extending through saidpaddle and attached to said handles whereby the free end of the paddlewill move upwardly against the pocket when this string is tightened bymoving the inner ends of the handles apart.

10. The toy of claim 9 wherein the pocket material is relativelynon-resilient so that it will maintain substantially the configurationit attains when struck by the paddle after the paddle falls away fromit.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS898,350 Foster Sept. 8, 1908 1,463,726 Ruttmann July 31, 1923 2,201,802Steiner May 21, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 959,858 France Oct. 10, 1949

